On 7-11 December 2015, Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) President Eugene Czolij met in Brussels, Belgium, with high-ranking officials of the European Union, Council of Europe, NATO, Belgium and Ukraine, and representatives of civil society to discuss continued support for Ukraine.
The UWC President highlighted the threat to European and global security posed by the Russian aggression against Ukraine in the Donbas region and emphasized the importance of staying focused on the geopolitical consequences of this hybrid war.
Eugene Czolij stressed the need to further consolidate support of the international community for the full implementation of the Minsk agreements by the Russian Federation and strengthening, if not maintaining, targeted sanctions against the Russian Federation until it fully complies with these agreements.
Addressing the overwhelming consequences of the violations of Ukraine’s borders by Russia-backed terrorists, the UWC President urged the high-ranking officials to increase humanitarian aid for the citizens of Ukraine and coordinate the efforts of international donors. Also discussed were the following topics: concrete measures to combat Russian disinformation, including the blatant attacks on fundamental European values in Russian mass media; human rights violations of Ukrainian citizens in the Russian Federation, including political prisoners, and residents of the illegally invaded Crimean peninsula; the European Neighbourhood Policy; the implementation of a visa-free regime for Ukrainian citizens to the European Union Member States that belong to the Schengen Area; and the referendum on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement scheduled in the Netherlands for 6 April 2016.
On 7 December 2015 UWC President addressed the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the Political consequences of the crisis in Ukraine.
On 8 December 2015 Eugene Czolij addressed a session of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee of the European Parliament dedicated to the Exchange of views on EU strategic communication and the hybrid war in Ukraine.
“Despite attempts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to create another frozen conflict in the world and distract the international community from his imperialist ambitions, the European Union, Council of Europe and NATO high‑ranking officials assured the Ukrainian World Congress of their unwavering support for the Ukrainian people,” stated UWC President Eugene Czolij.
The UWC Liaison Officer in the EU Maryna Iaroshevych participated in these meetings.
The UWC President met with the following high-ranking officials of the European Union, Council of Europe, NATO, Belgium and Ukraine, and representatives of non‑governmental organizations:
Auštrevičius Petras, Member of the European Parliament, Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, Head of the EU-Ukraine Friendship Group, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Bozhok Yegor, Head of Mission of Ukraine to NATO ad interim
Briens Mathieu, Member of Cabinet of the Commissioner of Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, European Commission
Costello Daniel J., Ambassador-Designate of Canada to the European Union
Czarnecki Ryszard, Vice-President of the European Parliament, European Conservatives and Reformists Group
Dallemagne Georges, Head of the Belgium-Ukraine Friendship Group and Member of the Belgian Parliament
Defraigne Christine, President of the Senate of Belgium
Demesmaeker Mark, Member of the European Parliament, European Conservatives and Reformists Group, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Member of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee
Gahler Michael, Member of the European Parliament, Group of the European People’s Party
Gallego Cristina Martinez, Desk Officer for Ukraine, European Neighbourhood, Middle East, Central Asia Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection
Gentzis Theodora, Counsellor of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs
Harms Rebecca, Member of the European Parliament, Co-Chair of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Hatrzell Carl, Senior Advisor, European Council
Hautala Heidi, Member of the European Parliament, Vice-Chair of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, Chairwoman of Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
Hobbs David, NATO Parliamentary Assembly Secretary General
Indekeu Jo, Director of Eastern and South East Europe and Central Asia of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belgium
Kalniete Sandra, Member of the European Parliament, Chair of the European People’s Party Working Group on Neighbourhood
Karas Othmar, Member of the European Parliament, European People’s Party, Chairman of Delegation to the EU-Russia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee
Kelam Tunne, Member of the European Parliament, European People’s Party
Kionka Riina, Chief Foreign Policy Advisor, Cabinet of the President of the European Council
Kuzmenko Andriy, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of Belgium
Luzzatto Gardner Anthony, Ambassador of the United States to the European Union
Martins Adriano, Deputy Head of Division on Bilateral Relations between EU and Eastern Partnership States
Nepop Liubov, Acting Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union
Piorko Iwona, Member of the Cabinet of High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission
Plenković Andrej, Member of the European Parliament, European People’s Party, Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Pomianowski Jerzy, Executive Director of the European Endowment for Democracy
Portman Giles, Head of the East Stratcom Task Force, European External Action Service
Pranckevičius Arnoldas, Foreign Affairs Advisor to the President of the European Parliament
Prawda Marek, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the European Union
Saryusz-Wolski Jacek, Member of the European Parliament, European People’s Party, Member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Member of the Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Association Committee, Member of the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
Schutte Ivo, Team Leader of the Eastern Partnership Division responsible for Bilateral Relations, European External Action Service
Tashner Martin, Deputy Head of Unit, European Neighbourhood, Middle East, Central Asia Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection
Techau Jan, Director of Carnegie Europe
Udwin Emma, Deputy Head of the Cabinet to Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement negotiations, European Commission
Vershbow Alexander, Ambassador, NATO Deputy Secretary General
Wagner Peter, Head of the Support Group for Ukraine, European Commission
Wiegand Gunnar, Director of the Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and OSCE Directorate, European External Action Service
Zelienková Kristýna, Rapporteur of the Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy on the Political consequences of the crisis in Ukraine, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
